Vineyard - Mesa Verde Vineyard is on the edge of the Santa Ynez River, in the south-east corner of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. Mesa Verde is only ten miles from the cold Pacific Ocean, this proximity keeps the day time temperatures moderate and the nights cool.

Wine - After the normal protocol of hand harvesting, whole cluster pressing and settling, this wine was fermented in new Hungarian 500 Liter barrels. Barrel fermentation in new oak gives the wine a luxurious vanillin note. After fermentation, the wine was racked off the lees to capture more freshness and reduce the leesy notes in this wine. All Clendenen Family wines are minimally processed and handcrafted, so we do the least amount of fining possible.

There are many different styles of Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc can be anything from lemon-limey margarita style to oaky faux-chardonnay style. This wine is neither. We picked at lower sugar levels but the grapes were ripe, without being too ripe. The finished wine is fresh, but not green or under ripe. The wine shows some smokiness from the barrel fermentation with a flavor combination of melon and pear after the wine opens up. Try a glass or two as an aperitif with goat cheese or shellfish.